Wondering how many are having the same or similar problem registering for new stickers at LTO. We have had this car for approx. 3 years. We bought it from a local dealer in Dumaguete. LTO issued us new registration and stickers the first 2 years after we bought the car. Now they are saying they cannot register it again as it "may be smuggled". Our lawyer says this applies to "all" surplus vehicles. He doesn't think it is at all right either and is trying to fight the "system". Are any of you also having this problem ? My guess is a lot of people are.
if your car is a honda fit, Japan surplus or korean surplus you will have a hard time registering it again because it is competing with the philippine version honda jazz and also the korean models competing with its philippine version model
When you buy a brand new (legally) imported car from a dealer you get a registration together with stickers for the first 3 yrs. Don't ask me what's a legally imported car. Tough it makes sense to me that if you buy a car and the LTO accept it by providing a new registration and stickers (if only for 2 yrs) why making problems upon renewing. When they really no longer wanna renew the registration no matter what reason it should be made clear @1st stage not after 3 years. But, this is the PH. Wish you all the luck to get the renewal of the registration with stickers done without too many hassle.
That's my question. If the LTO suspected it was smuggled why did they let the dealer buy it and register it , and why did they let him sell it to us ? Then after registering to us two times, suddenly decide they won't do it. Legally seeing the registered it the first time with no problem, that would tell me that it was all legal. So, were they not doing their job the last 3 years, and now they want to pass the buck to an innocent consumer ? There must be thousands of folks in the same predicament.
Same problem with our car too.The thing is i paid 5,500pesos to one of the officer to process the registration for the my car and after 5 days he called up and said cannot register my car because it was from Dipolog.my money was gone together together with my papers.
Yes, they were not doing their job the last 3 years. The terrible thing is, your complaint of they were not properly enforcing the law for the last 3 years on grey market imports doesn't mean they can't enforce the law now. A lawyer will keep fighting something in court as long as you will pay him. I would be looking for someone licensed to assemble cars and if necessary sell him the car so he can get legal papers on it and sell it back to you with legal title. That or you can sell your car to anyone who will buy it and you can buy another car that you can get legally registered. I would not waste my time and money in court. Alternatively, if you are attached to this particular car, you could put the car up on blocks, buy a car you can get registered to drive and wait until someone else gets the exception for these grey market cars accepted and you ride their coattails.
I picked up my reg papers this morning from the place on south highway and mentioned it to the owner there. He said if any car comes from mindano you pay an extra p2,500 and someone will go there and check the vehicle is not stolen and you can get the reg papers then.
